


say it with your hands

by prongsprobably



Series: i think they know [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Attempt at Humor, Denial of Feelings, Dorks, Dorks in Love, Drunken Confessions, Drunken Shenanigans, F/M, Fluff, Hot Mess Adrien Agreste, Identity Reveal, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Knows, Oblivious, Romance, SO, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, everyone is a hot mess, excessive use of commas, i watched until half of season 2, lots of emotions, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2020-07-23 19:36:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20013697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prongsprobably/pseuds/prongsprobably
Summary: Marinette had her fingers trailing up and down the side of Adrien's neck, tugging at his ear gently and softly scratching at his scalp, inspiring the goosebumps out of his skin and the rumbling purr at the base of his throat. The music got a bit louder and people were hollering along the beat. Marinette turned her head to whisper to his ear. "Wow, Adrien you have soft hair."All these Wow, Adrien comments are bound to kill him some time through the night.





	say it with your hands

_ put your lips close to mine _

_ as long as they don't touch _

* * *

This predicament could've been avoided by a great number of things. 

He could've decided not to come to this party, at all (actually, he couldn't have—it was Chloe's birthday, after all, and if he didn't come she'd have his head on a platter only childhood friend or no). He could've avoided Alya like the plague. Nothing against the amazing ladyblogger, of course, but he should've seen that familiar sparkle in her eyes, the mischievous tilt of her lips as she let out a bright, "Sunshine!" 

(But, then again, he didn't exactly mind what was happening. Replay this whole night and he would've done it all again the same way, in a heartbeat.)

"Hi, Adrien," Marinette sang, giggling in that adorable way that she had mastered along the years, pushing up on her toes to press a sloppy wet kiss on his cheek before plopping down gracefully on the couch.

"Hi, Mari," he greeted back with a fond smile. "Too much champagne?" 

"Champagne was so two hours ago," Alya gestured to the empty champagne glasses at the table. "Our dear Marinette hit the tequila an hour ago and the vodka just right now." 

"Will she be alright?" he asked in concern, watching his very good friend look up at the ceiling and blinking slowly, swinging her legs off the sofa like a child. Alya laughed, sipping on her glass. "She may not look like it but she can hold her liquor. My girl's tough as fuck."

It wasn't the first time Chloe hosted a huge birthday party, but it had been a long time since Adrien saw his lycée friends. When they all went to universities and took their own separate ways, it was especially tough to keep in touch with each other, especially since others even left the country to study. (He very nearly had, but he convinced his father to let him stay, half because he was moonlighting as the superhero Chat Noir, and a half because he didn't really want to leave, not when he has his own people here.) 

Since he had entered the ballroom he managed to catch up with Ivan and Mylene, had a small chat with Max, Alix, Nathaniel, and Kim, exchanged pleasantries with Rose and Juleka among a few others—others knew him by name, others by face. Most he didn't know. After all, these days he wasn't really up to date with whom Chloe kept her connections. It was wonderfully nice of her to invite their old friends, though. 

"Hey," Alya tapped his arm, setting down her glass at the low table between them. "I'm gonna go check on Mr. Big Shot DJ over there, can you keep an eye over Mari for a sec? She's not prone to vomiting but she can be a bit… familiar."

Adrien supposed that was supposed to be his first clue. Familiar was a peculiar way to describe someone drunk, but it was just Mari after all, so he shrugged and let Alya go after her boyfriend of about five years.

He turned his gaze to the girl—woman, really—in front of him, taking in her clear, peaceful face dabbed with makeup and soft pink dress which spaghetti strap was falling over her creamy white freckled shoulder. He supposed he shouldn't stare. The gentlemanly way was to drape the coat he was wearing around her shoulders, which was exactly what he did because he was a good person who did not stare at unsuspecting ~~gorgeous~~ pretty girls.

"Adrien! You're here!" said pretty girl chirped, her dazed gaze clearing. "Hi!" 

"You already said hi awhile ago," he told her with a soft chuckle, moving so he was sitting beside her instead. "Are you drunk, Mari?" 

"Nooooo," Marinette leaned slightly away from him, like she was playing with her balance. "Maybe. I was trying to get drunk but it's  _ so damn hard _ !" 

"Why do you want to get drunk?" 

"I sort of figured out a secret that someone doesn't want to tell me but I figured it out and now I just want to forget about it but—" she puffed her cheeks, peering up at him through her lashes. "Let's talk about something else, please."

Still heady from the rush of her explanation, and then nodded. "University not treating you nicely?" 

"Something like that, among others," she waved her hands, warming his heart when she clutched  _ his  _ coat closely around her, buying herself in the fabric that was a bit too huge on her but complimented her nonetheless. (Also:  _ damn  _ she looked good in his clothes.)

"I wanted to relax for a bit, we have this huge ass project at the end of the semester, and it's going to be graded by actual designers so," she inhaled, resting her cheek on the lapel of his coat. "Wow, Adrien you smell nice."

"Yeah?" his eyes crinkled in amusement. "Tha—" 

And then he wasn't so amused anymore, because Marinette just shot off from her seat and pressed the heel of her palm on his lap as a boost, her nose slightly brushing his jaw as she inhaled even deeper, and she took all of his breath from him then too. "Yup, you smell  _ really _ good. Almost like-like…" 

Like who, he never found out, because all too soon she drew away, blinking deep liquid blue eyes at him. "Wow, Adrien you have really green eyes."

Adrien blinked said green eyes, the almost catatonic  _ ( _ cat _ atonic, heh)  _ state she drove him to melting as she gazed back at her, and he left himself fall into a rumble of a laugh. "Thanks, Marinette."

"I like the way you say my name," Marinette told him off-handedly. "Ma-ri- _ nette _ . Ma. Ri. Nette. Marinette."

Giggles. More soft, light, giggling, sending his heart in a restless rhythm. He wanted to tell her that he liked saying her name too. 

"I'm glad," he laughed. "You're drunk."

"Hello, glad," she said cheekily, cheeks puffing up in a grin. "I'm drunk."

"Hi drunk."

Nino and Alya had arrived (thank  _ god _ ) and sat on the opposite side of the semi-circular couch. Nino had his arm wrapped around Alya, meeting Adrien's brofist with his own before leaning back.

"I'm surprised you got away from the DJ station," Adrien remarked, then his eyes slid to Alya. "Or rather,  _ Alya  _ got you away from the DJ station."

"I had to prove to the station that  _ I  _ am the girlfriend," Alya answered lightly, rolling her eyes when Nino kissed her cheek. "How's our Mari doing?" 

"She's very generous with her compliments," Adrien offered, and as if to prove his point Mari snuggled next to him and tucked herself under his arm. "Wow, Adrien you're  _ very  _ warm."

Adrien tried not to think about how her body fit ridiculously well in the spaces of his, and past the stench of alcohol he caught a whiff of apple and cinnamon and lavender. He chuckled, wrapping his arm properly around her and tried to get his heartbeat under control when she pressed her cheek to his chest.

"Y-you're very warm too, Mari." He couldn't remember a time where his voice was as throaty and as low as it was right now. 

Alya's conspiratorial whisper wasn't helping either. "Look, babe, the kids look reaaaal cozy tonight."

"I know," Nino snickered, ignoring Adrien's pointed glare.

For the life of him, he never did understand why most of their mutual friends thought it was nice to set him up with Marinette on every given opportunity. He may be a bit oblivious but not  _ that  _ much, he simply didn't want to read into things that weren't there.

"Don't tease, Alya," Marinette complained, though she didn't exactly pull away from her human space heater, not that said human space heater had anything else better to do. "We don't want to get Adrien uncomfortable."

"He looks plenty comfortable to me," Alya pointed out, and she wasn't, well, wrong.

"Are you?" Marinette pulled slightly away with clear honest ocean blue eyes, completely unaware of how she was drowning him. "Uh-b-buh?" 

"Oh no, he's a bit red," Marinette placed her fingertips on his very warm cheeks. Then she half-turned to look at Alya and Nino, who were both watching them with thinly concealed amusement. "Alya, I think  _ he's  _ drunk."

"On you, babe," Alya winked. Adrien almost hissed at her because really how much more embarrassment can he take, with a gorgeous girl he can't touch almost on his lap, but he was too frozen to care because  _ oh my god Marinette kept on touching him _ . 

Nino might have heard his prayers, because he sent Adrien a half-pitying glance and pulled his girlfriend to her feet. "Why don't I take my wonderful girlfriend to dance and leave these two kids alone?" 

"Aw, but Nino," Alya pouted, though she let herself be dragged. "I wanna watch the kids be a mess!"

By the time Alya and Nino were way over on the dance floor and Adrien and Marinette were alone, Marinette had her fingers trailing up and down the side of Adrien's neck, tugging at his ear gently and softly scratching at his scalp, inspiring the goosebumps out of his skin and the rumbling purr at the base of his throat. The music got a bit louder and people were hollering along with the beat. Marinette turned her head to whisper to his ear. "Wow, Adrien you have soft hair."

All these  _ Wow, Adrien  _ comments are bound to kill him some time through the night.

"Mari," he mumbled, pulling himself away from her and keeping his hands on her shoulder, if only to keep her at arm's length, because any closer and he'd be undone. "What are you doing?" 

Marinette blinked innocently. "Counting the things I like about you."

"Yes, but," Adrien knew that. "Why?" 

She sighed and turned away from him, prompting him to remove any limbs he had on her. "Well. I like you."

Something warm tingled from his toes to his chest, and his heartbeat was far too loud that he could hear it pulsing in his ear. "I like you too."

"N-no," Marinette pouted. "As in, I like-like you. Like… Like-like- _ like _ ." 

Adrien blinked. She bashfully tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Oh."

All too sudden she fell in giggles, turning away from him and pressing her palm into her eyes. "Oh my god. I finally got it out. After all these years. I can't believe it, oh my god."

_ Y-years _ ? Adrien swallowed. The automatic response made his lips move before he can help it. "I'm sorry, I like someone else."

She didn't move, which made Adrien think she was crying. His mouth started spewing up explanations, a part of him wanting to retract his statement but knew that wasn't possible, because for one thing, it was  _ true _ . 

It was unfair to keep on trying to see other people when he can't give them his whole self when a part of him always belonged to a superheroine. It would be unfair to them, and to him. 

"Mari, I think you're amazing. You're gorgeous and kind, and talented, and there's nothing in this world you can't do when you put your mind to it, and you make the world a better place just by being in it, but…" he breathed, unsure if he should pat her shoulder or hug her maybe. "If I hadn't met her first, I'm pretty sure I'd be head over heels in love with you." 

Marinette lifted her face off her hands and smiled softly at him. "I know. Ladybug, right?"

There was a common reaction from people when he tells them about Ladybug. A certain tone of disbelief and are-you-serious, because to an outsider it doesn't make sense to turn down people because of a celebrity crush. But, of course, they didn't know that he's also Chat Noir. 

Not Marinette, though. Marinette quirked a smile at him that was almost smug if he read too much into it, but she definitely believed him. She took her cocktail glass again and blew on the floating kiwi, watching it swim around the glass. "Ladybug doesn't deserve you."

Something akin to bile rose in his throat and he wasn't prepared to feel the white-hot indignation that burst from his chest to defend his lady because  _ what the hell, Marinette _ —

"You're always too loyal for your own good, kitty."

What— 

Did she just—

He swallowed through his dry throat. "Is that a bad thing?" 

Marinette turned her gaze on him, endless deep blue eyes searching his, and whatever she found she seemed satisfied. The small smile pulling at her glossy pink lips ended him. "No. Not at all."

* * *

  
  


Since something about Marinette's stare siphoned the oxygen out of him, the cold breeze of the night was a welcome distraction.

He somehow ended up being DD for the night, and dropped off Alya and Nino at Alya's apartment (Alya was a really loud drunk, it was a wonder how the neighbors hadn't woken up) and was supposed to just drop Marinette off. 

He somehow dreaded being with Marinette alone again so soon, because he has too many questions and she wasn't in the right state of mind to answer them.

Mari's head lolled to the side, lips slightly parted as she let out soft snores. A fond smile took over his lips. She was still wearing his coat. 

"Mari," he poked her cheek. "We're here." 

Marinette grunted.

He bit his lip to control the wide grin taking over him. "Marinette, come on."

"Here where?" was her mumbled reply. 

"Your apartment," Adrien replied, only slightly amused. She comically rubbed her eyes and yawned, blinking blearily. "Why are we here?" 

"You need to rest properly." And because she seemed too tired to even stand he took it upon himself to get down the car and walked over to her side, brushing her bangs out of her eyes. Marinette wrinkled her nose at his touch. "Come on, Mari, up."

He wasn't that good at taking care of drunk people, probably because there weren't that many people in his life that required taking care  _ from _ him when they're drunk. He managed to half-carry Marinette out, making sure his car was locked before he trudged up Marinette's building. He's been to Marinette's place for a few times, mostly because it was close to his usual photoshoot locations and she was the closest friend he had around.

Marinette curled in on him, looking so much like a baby when he lifted her like a bride. Her eyes were still closed, and she was warm and small in his arms and it took all he had to not drop a kiss on her forehead.

"Mari," he rasped, out of breath and not because he went up three flights of stairs to get to her apartment. "We're at your door."

The girl in his arms grumbled but set her feet down, pulling out her key from her sling bag and pushing the door open.

She spun on her heel, smiling at Adrien who definitely did not see what was coming next, not her hands cupping his cheeks and pulling him down, not the brush of her soft pliant lips against his, very briefly, not the giggle she let out nor the next kiss on his nose. "Thanks, minou."

Marinette turned away from him, kicking off her pumps, and idly prancing off further in her apartment, leaving a slack-jawed Adrien with burning cheeks and even more burning lips.

He meant to leave. He really really did, he swore on his miraculous he meant to leave, but he saw Marinette sway on her feet, almost falling over three times in the two steps she took, so he strode towards her with purpose. 

Can't really hold that kiss against her. She was drunk, and she didn't know what she was doing, and she wasn't going to remember any of it in the morning. Probably.

_ And she called him minou, and kitty earlier, and what the fuck did that mean why did she do it does she know— _

She took off his coat and let it fall on the floor, and reached for the zipper on her back and dragged it down without preamble, and Adrien was awarded with the view of smooth planes and a well-sculpted body and  _ holy fuck she looked good _ . 

And she was also drunk, and he wasn't a jerk, and he wasn't going to let her sleep in her underwear with her makeup still on. As a model, he knew for a fact that that wasn't a good idea. 

Marinette, however, was already lying face down on her bed. He sighed and went over to her, gently poking her shoulder. "Mari, you can't sleep like that."

She let out a snore to make a point.

Adrien sighed again, walking over to what he hoped was her cabinet, and finally managed to procure a button-down long sleeve. Deeming it comfortable enough, he went back over to Marinette and carried her again, properly aligning her on the bed in a more comfortable position. 

"Adrien," she complained. "What are you still doing here?" 

"Making sure you're comfortable," he grunted, grateful that she at least didn't make slipping on the sleeves hard for him.

"I'd be more comfortable if you just lay down here with me," she suggested. Adrien concentrated on buttoning her clothes, making sure he wasn't touching anywhere inappropriate, and not on the suggestive lilt of her voice when she spoke. "Tempted, but no."

"Geez, two rejections in one night. And people say  _ I'm  _ lucky," she snorted.

He was too busy getting a makeup wipe from her dressing table. When he returned, she was fully awake, or at least it seemed like she was, because she was staring at him steadily, no doubt watching the moonlight and shadows shifting on his face. She watched him as he worked through getting rid of her makeup, gently sliding off her skin and revealing the constellation of freckles that he stared at in wonder. 

"You have questions," she remarked after a while. "Go ahead and ask them, chaton."

"You're drunk."

"Not too much," she said, though her voice wavered. "Just enough. I don't… I don't think I can tell you when I'm sober. Ask, kitty cat."

"That's four," he said absentmindedly, transferring the makeup wipe to his other hand which he placed on his knee, while the unoccupied one covered her with a blanket. "You've been calling me cat nicknames all night."

"I suppose I am."

"Why?"

"Because," she exhaled. "You are, aren't you? A cat. Huge cat. Really good looking cat."

Marinette held his hand that was over her blanket. His own hands looked particularly larger even with her both hands holding his. "My Chat."

He swallowed. She was speaking slowly and softly, keeping her eyes on their hands. "Y-you… you know?" 

"I know," she confirmed. "I'm sorry, kitty, I didn't mean to find out."

"H-how?"

"Saw you. After an akuma attack."

"The Disposer?" 

Her confirming nod made his shoulders sag. He  _ knew  _ there was someone else in that alley, he  _ knew  _ he heard someone, but he chucked it to post-battle adrenaline and he really had to go back to his work, so he didn't check. 

Oh, well. At least it was Marinette. If it were anyone else—

"T-that's fine," he choked, gripping her hand back. "You can't tell anyone, though. And I might have to watch over you a lot, make sure you don't get akumatized—" 

"That won't happen, kitty."

"Mari, I know you're amazing and patient and I don't doubt your heart, but Hawkmoth can be tricky sometimes. I don't want you to get hurt."

"It won't happen," Marinette repeated, firmly. She pushed a lock of hair behind her ear, drawing his eyes to the movement, to her plain black earrings that she always wore no matter what the event was.

And suddenly that small niggling thought at the back of his mind pulsed, and made sense, and he took in Marinette's bluebell eyes and black hair, and her calling him  _ kitty,  _ and  _ minou _ , and  _ chaton _ , in that familiar tone, familiar cadence. Ladybug with her soft, soft blue eyes and gentle smiles, and eternal kindness, and Adrien finally managed to voice out in a tone full of disbelief. "Ladybug?"

"Chat Noir," her eyes crinkled in a smile, teary in the moonlight. "Nice to officially meet you."

"Ladybug," he repeated, because maybe then it'd sink more, maybe then he'll finally be able to process it, because all these years, all this time, his lady was right in front him and he  _ found  _ her—or, well, she found him, and that was even better. 

His Lady. His Mari. His friend.

"Ladybug," he said again, because he could, lifting their clasped hands to kiss hers, pressing it against his tear-stained cheeks. "Ladybug."

"Chat Noir," she whispered, fingers reaching to wipe the tears that fell from his eyes. "Tears?" 

"I'm—I'm," he gasped. "I'm happy."

"I'm happy too," Marinette told him. "I freaked out a lot, of course. Because how come I never saw  _ you _ , how come I never saw Chat Noir when I spend all of my waking days watching  _ you _ . I chatted Tikki's ears off and I can't figure out a way to tell you and it was like lycée all over again. Then tonight… tonight happened and people tell me the liquid courage would help. I hope I hadn't scared you away, mon chaton."

"Never, my lady," he promised. Then, because his heart was bursting, "I wish you weren't drunk."

"Why?"

"So I can kiss you."

She blinked. Huge blue eyes staring at him. "Why can't you kiss me when I'm drunk?" 

"Because I want to kiss you properly, and I want you to  _ know _ and I want you to allow it, with all sides of you, and I want you to remember everything."

"I'm not really the kind of person that forgets what happens by the next morning."

"I won't risk it."

"You do know I'm  _ trying  _ to give you permission to kiss me but you keep rejecting it, right?" 

"Not without effort, my lady," he purred, though he did allow himself to press a kiss to her temple. "I'll be here the moment you wake up so we can talk."

She scrunched her nose up in distaste. "We have to talk? We can't… just go straight to the kissing part?" 

"We have to talk," he confirmed. "Then… then, kiss."

"Talk then kiss," she repeated, closing her eyes. After a second she peeked one to look at him again. "You better not bail on me, Adrien Agreste."

"Wouldn't dream of it, princess." 

* * *

_ I'll do anything you say, _

_ if you say it with your hands _

**_treacherous // taylor swift_ **

**Author's Note:**

> took a break from reviewing for the board exams and came up with this. i know it's probably a cliche in the fandom by now but i wanted to write ooooone. tell me if it fit the bill or not. might also do a follow-up because i think i'd like to write about The Talk and The Kiss and probably The Inevitable Freakout.
> 
> COMMENTS ARE NICE LEAVE SOME IF YOU WANT TO.
> 
> much love xx


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